The blog formerly known as Bullseye, Baby! Visit www.jenaschwartz.com to stay in touch!

Singular

Singular. This one feather fallen.
Among countless, competing things,
so small really, odds are only one
or a few people will lay eyes on it.
Wouldn’t it be easy not to notice?
This morning, though, its loneliness
makes me ache for those who suffer,
who have let go of their bodies
and landed somewhere in the world
or beyond it. It contains so much–
look closely: the patterns, markings
of a creature flying with one less
feather to keep it aloft, or perhaps
lighter now, soaring. I’ll never know.
I think I will bring it inside now,
to stay next to the holy water
from Lourdes, the olive pit Buddha,
the rose quartz heart my daughter
gave me, bedside and cherished,
separated for good from the bird
but kept as a reminder that we die
alone, but live in flocks, and love.

Beautiful piece, Jena. I love finding feathers. I take photos of them sometimes and sometimes I pick them up and bring them home. I must confess that I never thought about what you said – a bird one feather lighter and perhaps less bouyant.

I too have a rose quartz heart – given to me by a neighbor during this kanswer journey. I love looking at it and holding it close and remembering how much love was lavished on me this past year. Yes, it has been a year – today – since the biopsy. Time flies whether or not you are having fun.